Thanks Luis for the questions.
Actually, the answer to those questions, as well as to their follow-up queries is simultaneously simple and complex:
"It depends."
So as not to appear avoiding the challenge, I offer two generic paths without suggesting they are 'best' for all:
a. Obtain your P.E. license at the earliest possible time. Take the EIT
'now' and immediately accumulate approvable professional-level experience
to take the Parts II & III (if that is still the requirement) also at the earliest possible time.
b. Upon completion of your undergraduate degree, go work for a year or so within a multidisciplinary E/A/C firm (as in a. above).
Then determine if you wish to invest the rest of your life, the next 65 years or more, in that environment, or perhaps play a part to change the socio-cultural environment.
Other professional fields of study have welcomed, with open arms, into their graduate-level masters programs civil engineers who bring their analytical
skill sets to balance 'soft skill' reasoning.
And please recall I did start by stating
"It depends."Cheers,
Bill
------------------------------
William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
Buffalo, N.Y.
"It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 07-11-2019 09:41
From: Luis Duque
Subject: Going into Practice or Back to School for an M.S.?
With students out for summer break and trying to decide what is best for their future, I wanted to start a discussion on what you think is better, going into practice or back to school for a graduate degree?
In my opinion, it depends, for instance, there are fields of engineering that are highly technical such as structural engineering that more often than not require an M.S. There are other fields that are not as technical and prefer experience over a graduate diploma.
No matter what field you are in you need to consider if the return of investment of you going back to school is higher than going into practice and potentially getting a degree while working. I know a lot of companies that encourage this as they are able to train young engineers early on and support them with the higher technical skills needed.
Finally, no matter what field of engineering you choose, it is important to realize that learning does not stop at the university level, there is so much to learn beyond that and we need to be diligent to seek that knowledge out.
What are your thoughts and advice to younger engineers who are debating about this topic?
------------------------------
Luis Duque EIT,A.M.ASCE
Structural Engineer
Broomfield CO
<maskemail>luis@...</maskemail>
------------------------------